What is PCI Compliance?

 

PCI compliance is a term that has been in the news a lot over the past couple years.  

 

But what is it?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘PCI Compliance’ or ‘PCI Security Compliance’ is Payment Card Industry Security Compliance.  It addresses any business that accepts credit card or debit card for payment, and is a standard that has emerged as the ‘bench test’ for whether or not your retail operations are a security risk for credit card information theft.

The rising incidence of stolen cardholder account data is a major concern for all businesses that accept payments by credit or debit card.  As a result of these thefts, merchants and financial institutions suffer fraud losses and unanticipated operational expenses, and consumers are inconvenienced significantly.  

 

What Does It Mean To Me?

If you collect or store credit card information, and if it is compromised, you may lose the ability to accept credit cards at your business, or you may face higher processing rates.  In the U.S., you may also be libel, not only for the credit card information compromised, but for non-compliance for new Security Awareness Training guidelines if your employees have had little or no security awareness training.  If you store credit or debit card information, no matter what country you are in, you are required to follow PA-DSS Compliant Applications (Payment Application – Data Security Standards)

To protect your business, your customers, and the integrity of the payment system, each of the card companies has in place a set of requirements governing the safekeeping of account information.  

• Install and maintain firewall to protect cardholder data.

• Do not use vendor-supplied default system passwords.

• Protect stored cardholder data.

• Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across network .

• Use and regularly update anti-virus software.

• Develop and maintain secure systems and applications.

• Regularly test security systems and processes.

• Maintain a policy that addresses information security.

 

There are 4 different levels of PCI Compliance, depending on the number of eCommerce and regular transactions your business does annually.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To check if you are following the compliance standards, visit the PCI Security Standards Council – the organization that manages these standards.  This is an excellent website that also allows you to perform a self-assessment.  

So that covers the legalities of the electronic safekeeping of your information.

 

But..

Being PCI Compliant Does Not Ensure Safety

To rely solely on the PCI DSS checklists to secure cardholder data is similar to a pilot relying only on the pre-flight checklist before takeoff, then colliding with another plane during takeoff.

In reality, the goal of effective security controls is to prevent security breaches from occurring, and when they do, allow quick detection and recovery.

This requires not only following a checklist, but understanding the organization’s compliance and security objectives, understanding what the top risks to achieving those objective are, having adequate situational awareness to identify where you need controls to mitigate those risks, and then implement and monitoring the correct production controls.  

 

The Human Factor 

The U.S. Department of Health and Services has stated that bad or no security awareness training is a main cause of compliance failures.  This is true not only for health care, but all industries such as banking, finance, manufacturing, and technology.

Your employees are your company’s biggest asset.  They can also be your company’s weakest link.

Trend Micro reports that 91% of successful data breaches started with a spear-phishing attack.

Make sure your employees are up-to-date in their security awareness training.

 

Don’t Know What to Look For In Suspicious Emails:  http://tbyd.ca/email-red-flags/

For all the latest virus/malware alerts go to:  http://tbyd.ca/category/alerts/

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March 31st is:

 World Backup Day

 

83% of us own a computer.    89% own a mobile phone.

But only 1 in 4 people make regular backups of their data.

 

 

 

Think You’re Safe?  THINK AGAIN!

 

 

•  6% of all PCs will suffer data loss in any given year.  This equals 4.6 million PCs that suffer data loss every year.
• 60% of companies that lost their data for any amount of time, SHUT DOWN within 6 months of the loss.
• 93% of companies that lost their data for 10 days or more, filed for bankruptcy within 1 year of the loss.
  

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What Is A Backup?

It’s a separate copy of your important photos and documents.

So if something happens to your computer or mobile phone, your photos and information are completely safe.

Losing Your Data Is More Common Than You Think:

• More than 60,000,000 computers will fail this year.
• More then 200,000 smartphones are lost or stolen every year.

That’s countless documents and treasured memories DESTROYED.

If something went wrong today, what would you lose forever?

 

Go To worldbackupday.com to take

The World Backup Day Pledge:

“I solemnly swear to backup my important documents and precious memories on March 31st.”

 

“I will also tell my friends and family about World Backup Day – friends don’t let friends go without a backup.”

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9 Questions You MUST Ask Yourself When Planning a Backup Strategy*

It takes time to create and implement a backup and recovery plan.  You need to figure out what data is important and needs to be backed up, how often the data should be backed up, and more.

To help you create a plan, consider the following questions:

 

1.  How important or sensitive is the data on your systems?

The importance of data can go a long way toward helping you determine if you need to back it up – as well as when and how it should be backed up.

For critical data, such as a database, you’ll want to have redundant backup sets that extend back for several backup periods.

For sensitive data, you’ll want to ensure that backup data is physically secure or encrypted.

For less important data, such as daily user files, you won’t need such an elaborate backup plan, but you’ll need to backup the data regularly and ensure that the data can be recovered easily.

 

2.  What Type Of Information Does The Data Contain?

Data that doesn’t seem important to you, might be very important to someone else.

Thus, the type of information the data contains can help you determine if you need to backup the data – as well as when and how the data should be backed up.

 

3.  How Often Does The Data Change?

The frequency of change can affect your decision on how often the data should be backed up.

For example, data that changes daily should be backed up daily.

 

4.  Can You Supplement Backups With Shadow Copies?

Shadow copies are point-in-time copies of documents in shared folders.

These point-in-time copies make recovering documents easy, because you can easily go back to an older version in case a document is deleted or overwritten accidentally.

You should use shadow copies in addition to standard backup – not to replace backup procedures.

 

5.  How Quickly Do You Need To Recover The Data?

Time is an important factor in creating a backup plan.

For critical systems, you might need to get back online swiftly.

To do this, you might need to alter your backup plan.

 

6.  Do You Have The Equipment To Perform Backups?

You must have the backup hardware to perform backups.

To perform timely backups, you will need the proper equipment, and the proper expertise.

We recommend a minimum of 3TB external hard drive per computer, plus a separate 3TB external hard drive for each server.  However, each business is different and has its individual needs.

Call Technology by Design at 1-204-800-3166

for a free estimate.

 

7.  Who will be responsible for the backup and recovery plan?

Often, businesses opt to save money and perform the backups themselves.

However, only 20% actually do the backups correctly and on time.

Call TbyD for a free estimate on your

personalized Managed Backup and Recovery Plan.

Choose 1 person at your organization to be a primary contact for the organization’s Backup and Recovery Plan.

 

8.  What’s The Best Time To Schedule Backups?

Scheduling backups when system use is as low as possible, will speed up the backup process.

However, you can always schedule backups for off-peak hours.  Some workstations require up to hourly backups.

You need to carefully plan when key system data is backed up.

 

9.  Do You Need To Store Backups Off-Site?

Storing copies of backups off-site is essential to recovering your systems in the case of a local disaster (e.g. flood, fire, theft, etc.).

In your off-site storage location, you should also include copies of the software you might need to install to reestablish operational systems.

*Adapted from the Microsoft Press book “Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant by William R. Stanek

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Stay Safe On Public HotSpots

 

Public Wi-Fi hotspots are everywhere.  Coffee shops, waiting rooms, highway rest stops, arenas, etc.  If there’s people sitting around, chances are, there’s free WiFi.

 

And wherever there’s free WiFi, there’s security risks.

 

Connecting your device, whether it be a laptop, tablet, or smartphone, to a public WiFi hotspot is a little bit like stepping off the curb without looking; it’s dangerous.  You could avoid connecting altogether, but that’s not an option when you’re on the road:  You need to get work done, communicate, and access the Web, and public WiFi may be the only option available.

There are undoubtedly some doubters out there who are thinking right now “I’ve been on public WiFi lots of times, and nothing bad ever happened.”  That may be true, but these days, blindly joining public WiFi hotspots is a little like playing Russian roulette.  Every day that passes, the tools that CyberCriminals use to snoop, swipe, and infect your systems get better, easier to use, and more automated.  If it only takes a few seconds for a data thief to break into your system and start wreaking havoc, then you need to spend a few minutes to make sure your defense shields are up.  And it’s easy enough that even someone that doesn’t know the hard drive from the floppy drive (Hint:  floppy drives don’t exist any more) can minimize their exposure to WiFi hotspot threats you’re likely to encounter.

1. Maintain Security Software.  This one should go without saying.  However, we run into people several times a day, that either do not have or do not have up-to-date security software.  Security software is typically pretty good at preventing unauthorized users from accessing your system, notifying you of the presence of infected files, and removing harmful link and malware.  Make sure you have antivirus, anti-malware, and firewall utilities.  Windows comes with firewall software enabled by default, but you may have to seek out third-party options for antivirus and anti-malware software.  For instructions on how to make sure your firewall is enabled in Windows7 click: HERE.  For instructions on how to make sure your firewall is enabled in Windows8 click:  HERE.  It’s also a good idea to make sure your device’s OS and other applications are up-to-date before you sign on to any public WiFi hotspot.
2. Don’t Share.  Never mind what Sesame Street taught you.  The first time you connect to any network, Windows asks if you’re connecting to a Home Network, Work Network, or Public Network.  Do yourself a favor and always select “Public Network” when connecting to a WiFi hotspot.  This ensures that your device is not visible to others using the hotspot, blocks malicious software, prevents access to the HomeGroup, and turns off network discovery.
3. Connect Manually.  Although doing so may seem tedious, make sure you’re manually connecting to hotspots every time.  Rogue hotspots hosted by CyberCriminals tend to use SSIDs (Service Set IDentifiers) that sound like they’re being hosted by a legitimate business.  You may be inside a Starbucks, but that doesn’t mean you should trust any available hotspot with the coffee shop’s name in the SSID.  Whenever possible, verify the hotspot’s SSID with an employee before signing on.
4. Choose Password-Protected SSIDs.  We know that the human instinct for immediate gratification is overwhelming.  It’s easiest to try the open networks before inquiring about a password to one of the closed ones.  But fight that urge.  Although password-protected networks aren’t inherently any safer, they can help you determine whether the network is hosted by the business, or a nearby data thief with a portable router.  
5. Practice Safe Surfing.  When you are connected to a public WiFi hotspot, avoid using e-commerce and banking sites, if possible.  If you must connect to these sites, make sure that no one else has a clear view of your device’s screen or keyboard while you enter usernames or passwords.  Also ensure that the sites on which you enter your information encrypt your data.  Remember that secured URLs begin with “https”.  When you are finished, log out of the site immediately.  

Following these easy steps for keeping your device (and information) secure, will go a long way to thwarting would-be WiFi hotspot hijackers.  Now you can connect with confidence.

 

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Power Surge vs PC

 

A power surge is a damaging spike of voltage through the electrical network.

 

If your computer was plugged in and turned on during one, you’re more than likely to see some evidence of damage to your computer.

 

Check and Fix a PC After A Power Surge

1. First step is to unplug your PC, and the power bar – in that order.
2. Plug the monitor directly into a power outlet.  If that works you can set it aside, safe in the knowledge that the problem is in the PC itself.
3. Open the computer tower.  This will likely involve unscrewing some screws at the back.  Consult your PC User Manual if you’re unsure.
4. If your computer was a power surge victim, and your computer won’t turn on, you’ll need to replace your power supply unit (PSU).
5. Make sure not to touch any of the equipment inside the case.  Take a look for anything that looks obviously scorched or damaged.  If there is, you’ll need to replace that part.
6. Close up the case, using all the screws you took out.  If you have any extras, you missed some.

Now, if you got away unscathed, count yourself very lucky.

If you need some parts replaced, call a reliable, qualified computer tech to quote you on the parts & labour.  And consider your hand slapped.

NOW, before your computer receives any more battle scars,

make sure it’s adequately protected.

 

Use a power bar, a surge protector, or a Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).

 

To see which is right for you, check out an earlier blog:   Power-Less.

 

Computer Bugs?

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Sleep vs. ShutDown?

  In this age of thinking “green” and power-saving, there is a constant debate about whether it’s better for your computer (and the environment, not to mention your bank account) to shutdown your computer, or just let it go into “sleep” mode.

I’m going to put that debate to bed, so to speak.

The argument for shutdown:  You’ll save energy, money, and the environment.

The argument for sleep:  You’ll save energy, wear-and-tear on your computer, and time.

 

 

 

 

 

The ‘Time’ Argument.

 

I run a relatively high-end computer (Computer-Geek, and all that).

Time to Shutdown:  0:16

Time to Boot Up:  1:06

Shutting down is relatively quick, but booting up is painfully slow.  Keep in mind, this is what I refer to as a “true” boot-up time-the time from when I press the power button to when I’m at a usable desktop (where you can actually click on things and get a response).

Time to Go Into Sleep Mode:  0:18

Time to Fully Wake:  0:02

The time it takes to go into sleep mode is comparable to shutting down my computer.  However, the time it takes to wake my computer to be fully functional is almost instantaneous.  Not to mention the convenience of waking my computer merely by tapping the keyboard, or moving the mouse.

 

 

 

 

The ‘Power/Energy/Money-Saving’ Argument:

As long as your system BIOS supports the S3 ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) mode, and most computers do, then leaving your computer in sleep mode is not running up your power bill.  The S1 mode leaves the CPU and RAM powered up, the S3 mode powers the CPU and RAM down.  You can check and change your BIOS sleep state, if you want your computer to draw less power.

My high-end computer uses approximately 120-130 watts just sitting at the desktop (not including the 2 monitors I run), and uses 1 watt when shut down (most computers still draw a very small amount of power, even when off, so they can turn on when you push the power button).  In sleep mode, my computer draws 5 watts.  That’s a difference of 4 watts of power, between shutdown and sleep.  Not a huge difference.

Suppose your computer system is turned off 16 hours/day.  The 4 watts difference works out to 1.92 killowatt-hours (kWh) per month.  According to National Resources Canada in April 2014, the average residential electricity price in Canada (including taxes) was 13.272 cents/kWh.  So keeping your computer in sleep mode would cost you 25.5 cents per month more than it would to shut your computer down.  The average Canadian home uses 955.8kWh monthly, so 16 hours of sleep mode per day would be a 0.21% increase in monthly power use.  Of course, some computers use a little more power in sleep mode, but it’s almost always under 10W.

You can find more information on how to change the function of your computer’s power button here.  You probably don’t want hibernate mode, as this dumps the contents of your PC’s RAM to the hard disk and then powers off your PC, so you can resume right where you left off (with programs open, etc.).  With the large amount of RAM in today’s systems, this process can be pretty slow.

 

 

 

 

The ‘Wear-and-Tear’ Argument:

Computers that are in sleep mode use minimal power to keep only essential components operating in low-power mode.  The major remaining power consuming parts are the RAM, CPU and motherboard; all run in dramatically reduced power consumption states while in sleep mode.  They both have just enough power to keep the OS stored in the RAM.  The sleep state hardly uses the CPU and RAM, which causes them to produce next to no heat or part attrition.  The motherboard is also powered just enough to check for any use of the keyboard, mouse, touch pad, or power button to wake the system from sleep mode.

In sleep mode, the computer turns off components like the graphics card, network adapter, hard drives, and optical drives.  The parts are turned ‘off’ to a state similar to as if the computer was shut down.  The sleep state also prevents the computer from being attacked by hackers and network-related malware, the same way a shut down computer does.

Turning on a computer from a ‘shut down’ state causes a substantially larger amount of wear-and-tear on the hardware, compared to re-booting a computer from a ‘sleep’ state.  Waking a computer from ‘sleep’ uses less energy, in addition to being easier on the computer components.  Waking a computer from hibernation wears the computer similar to turning on a computer from ‘shut down’.

 

 Computer Usage:

Of course, computer usage has to weigh into the argument as well.  If you use your computer several times per day, you can reduce wear-and-tear by using sleep mode instead of shutdown.  However, if you use your computer only an hour or so every few days, it makes more sense to shut down your computer.

Software Updates:

If your computer is set to automatically install software updates (as it should, as software updates keep your system safe & secure), most software updates occur overnight.  If your computer is left in ‘sleep’ mode, your computer will receive the updates, and will automatically re-start and go back into sleep mode.  However, if your computer is shutdown, when you turn on your computer, your computer will automatically install the updates at that time.  You will then have to re-start your computer again.  If the start of your day is time-restricted, this is something to keep in mind.

 

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ALERT:  New Ransomware Strain Encrypts Files From RAM

 

Security researchers at Invincea have discovered a new Russian ransomware strain called “Fessleak” which delivers its code straight into system memory and does not drop any files on disk.

This means that almost all antivirus software is not able to catch this malicious malware.

The infection is spread through malicious ads on popular websites.  

The Cybercriminal setup a short-lived burner domain (disposable domain) directing to a landing page where the exploit kit (malware infector) is hosted.  Then they post a legitimately paid-for ad on legitimate major sites such as HuffingtonPost, Answers.com, Thesaurus.com, and Match.com.

The ad is usually similar to “Granny opening a new iPhone video”.

When you click on the link, you are redirected to the malicious domain, which infects your workstation.

You are then presented with a full screen image that announces all personal or business files, photos, and videos have been ecrypted and to get them back you need to pay a ransom in Bitcoin.

Invincea states:

“We continue to see new innovations in ransomware.  More advanced versions use file-less infections, and communicate via the TOR network…they are also able to check to ensure the host is not running on a virtual machine to frustrate security researchers and analysis.  

At this time, there is no detection for the malicious code, which rotates its hash value to avoid Anti-Virus detection.“

How do you pre-plan for a possible attack?

1. BACK UPS!   All malware and virus effects can be prevented by having all important data backed up.  Take a weekly copy off-site.
2. Keep your attack surface as small as possible, and religiously keep all OS and third-party patches up-to-date.  All our monthly service plans do this automatically.
3. Disable Flash in your browser, or at least set Flash to Click to Play.  This way, you can activate only the ads or videos using Flash that you want to see, and the others will remain disabled.
4. Run a multi-layer security system, block ads centrally rather than machine by machine.  If that’s not possible, AdBlocker plugins for each browser.
5. It is increasingly clear that effective security awareness training is a must.  End users need to be on their toes, and need to keep security in mind at all times.

Cyber-Security Issues?

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Batteries – To Drain Or Not To Drain…

 

Everyone, from your neighbor to your great-aunt’s dog-walker’s niece, has their opinion on this.  Some say to drain it completely before re-charging, some say that you should keep it between 40% and 80% at all times.

But which is the truth?

 

A lot of this is confusion over how batteries used to work, not how they work today.  Luckily, most or all of your gadgets today run on Lithium Ion batteries, which are easy to take care of.

The short answer – – Charging incorrectly can decrease their lifespan.  Most lithium batteries should last you a few years, and batteries have a finite life, no matter what, so your efforts will only help to extend the life so much.  However, improper care can decrease that lifespan, meaning your battery will be unable to hold a charge – or unable to hold as big a charge as it used to – quicker.

Here’s some guidelines to help to extend your battery’s health as much as possible:

1. Perform shallow discharges.  Instead of discharging to 0% all the time, lithium ion batteries do best when you discharge them for a little bit, then charge them for a little bit.  Discharges to 50% are better for your battery’s long-term life then small discharges to 90% or large discharges to 0%.
2. Don’t leave it fully charged.  Lithium ion batteries don’t need to be charged 100%.  In fact, they prefer not to be.  So the 40%-80% rule is a good guideline.  When possible, keep it in that range to prolong its life as long as you can.  And if you do charge it 100% – don’t leave it plugged in.  If you charge it overnight, use something like the Belkin Conserve Socket to stop it from charging after it’s full.
3. Fully discharge it once a month.  While lithium ion batteries shouldn’t be discharged 100% regularly, most modern batteries are what’s called “smart batteries”, which means that they can tell you how long you have until your battery dies.  This feature can get mis-calibrated after a lot of shallow discharges.  Manufacturers recommend fully discharging your battery once a month to make sure this stays accurate.
4. Keep it cool.  Excess heat is not only bad for your processor, but your battery as well.  A hot battery will degrade in health much quicker than a cool one.  For this reason, we highly recommend not using your laptop on a soft surface like a bed or your lap (does not allow for sufficient air intake), and we highly recommend using a laptop stand with cooling fans built-in.

If you follow these tips, your battery should last.

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CD/DVD Drive

Not Reading Discs?

 

If your CD/DVD drive stops reading disks, the 1st thing to check is another disc.  If it’s still not reading them, ensure that you are caring properly for your discs.  CD/DVDs are affected by excessive heat, scratches, bending, or twisting.

 

The following steps will help you properly care for your disks:

1. When removing a disc from a hard protective case (a “jewel” case), push down on the centre hub, then remove the disc by handling only the outer edges of the disc.  Never remove a disc by prying upwards on the outer edges.
2. Make sure when you place a disc into the drive, that it is placed properly into the drive.  If it is not properly seated, when the drive’s carriage is closed it will bind up on the disc and possibly gouge or scratch the disc.
3. The single-sided disc is inserted into the drive with the title/artwork facing upwards.
4. Keep your discs away from extreme heat.  Never store a disc in direct sunlight, such as on the dashboard of your car.
5. Clean your discs with a soft cloth slightly dampened with water.  Never use any abrasive materials on the disc.  When wiping, use straight-line strokes, from the inner circle to the outer edges of the disc.  Never wipe in a circular motion.  Be sure that the CD/DVD is completely dry before returning it to its protective case, or inserting it into the drive.
6. Do not stack discs on top of one another.  Store them in their protective cases.

If the problem is not with the disc itself, try the following steps:

1. Go to “Start”.  Right click on “My Computer”, then “Properties”, “Hardware” tab, “Device Manager”, “DVD/CD-ROM Drives”.
2. Right click on the correct drive, and select “Uninstall” from the menu.
3. Restart your computer.

This will uninstall, then reinstall the drive.

If this does not correct the problem, you will need to bring your computer in to have it correctly diagnosed.

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Get Gremlin-Free!

I admit it.  I get lazy sometimes.  You’re logging onto a new site, and it asks you to create a password.  ANOTHER ONE!  I have so many passwords it’s not funny anymore.  Not at all.  I feel the urge to rebel and punch in “1 2 3 4 5”.

But I resist.  Because I know that’s one of the most used, and worst passwords.  AND most likely one of the 1st ones that hackers will try.

When hacking into a personal computer, Cyber Criminals usually don’t have to break a sweat trying to guess our “clever” password, that’s so secretive no one will ever guess it!

Here is the complete list from SplashData’s Annual “Worst Passwords” List.    This list was compiled from a list of 3.3 million leaked passwords.  Superheros and fantasy sports entered the list for the first time.  However, some of the top ones have staying power – “123456” and “password” have occupied the top 2 spots for the past 4 years.

1. 123456, no change from 2013
2. password, no change from 2013
3. 12345, up 17 spots
4. 12345678, down 1 spot
5. qwerty, down 1 spot
6. 123456789, no change from 2013
7. 1234, up 9 spots
8. baseball, new
9. dragon, new
10. football, new
11. 1234567, down 4 spots
12. monkey, up 5
13. letmein, up 1 spot
14. abc123, down 9 spots
15. 111111, down 8 spots
16. mustang, new
17. access, new
18. shadow, no change from 2013
19. master, new
20. michael, new
21. superman, new
22. 696969, new
23. 123123, down 12 spots
24. batman, new
25. trustno1, down 1 spot

This list shows that many people continue to put themselves at risk by using weak, easily guessable passwords.

“Passwords based on simple patterns on your keyboard remain popular despite how weak they are,” says Morgan Slain, CEO of SplashData.  “Any password using numbers alone should be avoided, especially sequences.  As more websites require stronger passwords or combinations of letters and numbers, longer keyboard patterns are becoming common passwords, and they are still not secure.”

Tips from SplashData:

• Don’t use sequences on your keyboard, such as the letters on the top row, for your password.
• Don’t use a favorite sport as your password.  “baseball” and “football” are in the top 10, and “hockey”, “soccer” and “golfer” are in the top 100.  Don’t use a favorite team either.  Many are in the top 100.
• Don’t use your birthday, or especially just your birth year.
• Don’t use your children’s names for picking passwords.  Many common names are in the top 50.

Dear Geek, 

I can’t received any email attachments.  What’s up?

Sincerely,

Un-attached

 

Dear Un-attached,

Most likely, it’s time to delete some of those cute cat videos, or joke emails you’ve been saving.  If your email box is full of other email messages and/or your storage space is inadequate, it’s possible that the attachment being sent cannot be received.  Quite often, the person sending the email will get a notification that your email box is full and/or has exceeded its allocated size.  Most joke emails, or cat videos (or similar videos) take up a lot of space in your email folder.  So don’t keep them, or you could be losing out on receiving email that is actually important.

One other possible culprit, is the file extension being sent.  Computer viruses and other malware are usually distributed through email.  So many email service providers, companies, and email programs prevent certain types of file extensions from being distributed or received through email.